Arizona Practice Improvement Collaborative

MISSION

The Arizona Practice Improvement Collaborative (PIC) is a statewide collaborative involving key state agencies, local treatment providers, and researchers from all three of the state's institutes of higher education, and consumer and advocacy groups. The lead agency of this PIC is the Community Rehabilitation Division (CRD) of the University of Arizona's School of Public Administration and Policy. The mission of the Arizona PIC is to enhance the quality and effectiveness of substance abuse prevention, treatment, and recovery support by promoting greater collaboration among substance abuse treatment providers, academic researchers, payors, consumers, policymakers, and other stakeholders.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

GOVERNANCE

An Executive Committee oversees and monitors the day-to-day operations of the Arizona PIC. The Executive Committee is composed of the chair of the Advisory Board, the chairs of each of the standing committees, the chief of the Bureau of Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention Services of the Arizona Department of Health Services, a consumer, and the Coordinating Center key staff. The Executive Committee meets monthly. The Advisory Board members formalized a set of policies and procedures to guide operations of the Board and standing committees. Consensus was adopted as the decision-making strategy, and the policies emphasize the inclusive and cooperative nature of the Board. The Advisory Board meets quarterly. The Coordinating Center provides support for all collaborative activities and meets weekly.

STAKEHOLDER EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT

The PIC has presented two annual statewide Summer Institutes, a series of conference presentations for providers, policymakers, consumers, and researchers on best practices in substance abuse. The first held in summer of 2000 featured a policy panel on the needs of women and children. The second Summer Institute focused on linking research to practice and also featured facilitated public policy forums on how to implement the recommendations of the SAMHSA "Changing the Conversation, Improving Substance Abuse Treatment: The National Treatment Plan Initiative" within Arizona. A quarterly newsletter has highlighted research-to-practice issues such as motivational interviewing and practices supported by meta-analyses. The project also supports a website, a listserv, and a consultant's bureau and has co-sponsored professional conferences (e.g., Arizona Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, Arizona Counselors Association, and the Mental Health Association of Arizona).

PRACTICE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES

• Integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders
• Motivational interviewing
• Family-focused services assessment
• Community reinforcement approach

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES

• Train in motivational interviewing skills
• Train in use of organizational assessment instrument
• Identify peer opinion leaders to implement integrated treatment for persons with co-occurring disorders
• Develop gender and culturally sensitive comprehensive family assessment tool
• Develop a culturally competent dual diagnosis treatment model for American Indians

EVALUATION ACTIVITIES

• Evaluate the effectiveness of video training in motivational interviewing skills
• Evaluate the effectiveness of different training approaches (staff training vs. opinion leader) in motivational interviewing
• Assess organizational readiness to implement evidence-based treatment protocols of integrated treatment

CONTACT INFORMATION